This invention relates in general to masks for use in anesthesiology, and, more particularly, to a ventilation mask assist device for use with patients having facial characteristics preventing an airtight seal for patients.
When a patient is subject to anesthesia, for example, during a surgical procedure, there is a period of time when respiration is taken over by the anesthesiologist. The ability to ventilate the patient properly for respiration requires an airtight seal with a ventilation face mask around the patient""s mouth and nose. Currently, the ventilation face mask is a generally triangular shape to accommodate the nose and mouth of a typical patient. A soft, pliable edge is employed which, when pressed against a face, generally provides the airtight seal needed for proper ventilation.
However, a problem arises if the patient has a facial obstruction which interferes with an airtight seal. Such characteristics include, but are not limited to, facial hair such as a beard or a facial deformity.
There are a number of techniques to counter the problem. One solution is to provide a larger face mask to increase the surface area in contact with the face. However, this solution generally is ineffective with some obstructions such as thick beards. Oral airways and nasal trumpets can be employed to decrease air flow resistance into the patient, but such techniques do not solve the underlying problem of a lack of the airtight seal. A laryngeal mask airway is possible as it is designed to sit over the vocal cords well past any problem on the face. However, sometimes the laryngeal mask airway does not sit well over the larynx and thereby fails to provide the airtight seal with increased peak inspiratory pressures even when properly in place.
Another current technique is to push the oxygen flush valve on the anesthesia machine thereby refilling the anesthesia circuit bag and allowing a single quick but incomplete breath. This technique is normally used only until the patient is intubated or some other means of maintaining an airway is secured. If the airway is not secured promptly, the anesthesiologist is left with few options to overcome the problem of the lack of the airtight seal. Thus, there is a need for a device to provide an airtight seal to patients with obstructions.
Ventilation devices are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,531 entitled xe2x80x9cOropharyngeal Airway and Bite Block Assembly and Method for Closed Pulmonary Ventilationxe2x80x9d which issued on Jun. 2, 1981 to Blachly discloses a bite block device for use in combination with an oropharyngeal airway tube and a conventional mask to provide an airtight seal. However, this device does not address the problem of facial hair preventing an air tight seal between the conventional mask and the face.
None of the references cited disclose the present invention.
It is an object of this invention to provide a device for use with a conventional ventilator mask to provide an airtight seal for anesthesiological purposes for patients with obstructions.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the specification annexed hereto.